Hyder Ali

Many details about Hyder Ali’s personal life are unclear. But it is known that he had at least two wives, though in all probability he might have had more. His second wife was Fakhr-un-nissa, the mother of his successor, Tipu.

Hyder Ali suffered from a cancerous growth on his back and died on 7 December 1782.

Hyder Ali is believed to have been born somewhere around 1720; the exact date of his birth is not known. Not much is known about his early life as well. His probable birth place is Budikote, Kolar, Karnataka. His father Fath Muhammad was a military commander at the service of the Wodeyar Rajas of the Kingdom of Mysore.

There are some discrepancies regarding his ancestry also. Some sources state that his grandfather descended from a line of Muslims tracing their lineage back to Persia while others claim he hailed from the area of present-day Afghanistan.

After the death of his father, Hyder and his brother Shahbaz entered military service. During his initial years, Hyder was a petty officer in the Mysore army attending on the nizam. The brothers served for a number of years under the rulers of Arcot before moving to Seringapatam, where Hyder's uncle served.

Hyder rose through the military ranks quickly and was soon commanding 100 cavalry and 2,000 infantry, serving under Shahbaz. The longtime Nizam of Hyderabad, Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I, died in 1748 and a bitter struggle of succession followed during which Hyder acquired considerable power as a military leader.

By 1755 he had become so powerful that he commanded 3,000 infantry and 1,500 cavalry. He grew more ambitious with the passing years and displaced the ruler of Mysore to assume control over the princely state himself.

Around 1761, he declared himself the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He then proceeded to conquer Bednore (now Haidarnagar), Kanara, and the petty poligars (feudal chiefs) of southern India.

He founded the Sultanate of Mysore and formally styled himself Sultan Hyder Ali Khan. He then embarked on extensive campaigns to expand his kingdom. He acquired Sira, from the Marathas, and the kingdom of Bednore. Now there were several ports under his control, including Mangalore. He used these ports to establish a small navy.

In the First Anglo–Mysore War (1767–1769) against the British East India Company, Hyder Ali gained some success, almost capturing Madras. The war eventually ended with the signing of the Treaty of Madras, which contained a clause requiring the British to assist Hyder Ali if he was attacked by his neighbors.

The Second Anglo–Mysore War (1780–1784) was an even bloodier one than the first. Hyder Ali saw some success in the early campaigns. His health suffered considerably over the course of the war and he died in 1782. The war was continued by his successor Tipu Sultan.